Compete for the Heart
by Li'l Yahiko
Summary: REVISED AND UPDATED!SeiyaHaruka Seiya returns to Earth on a mission to save his kingdom from a terrible curse and ends up at Haruka's house until Usagi returns. Little does he know that Haruka's heart is in danger.
1. Chapter 1: Starfighter's Return

_**Compete for the Heart**_

(Disclaimed)

A/N: I told someone that I wasn't going to rewrite this because I'd planned on turning it into a fan comic. The idea didn't work out, and even though I hadn't updated, I continued to get reviews. Finally, I've buckled down and decided to update it, but I wanted to rewrite it first so that it was better and my fans could come back and enjoy it with correct grammar, more advanced vocabulary, and all around more effort. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1: Starfighter's Return

The crack was obvious, a horrendous gray line surrounded by white where the color had been chipped off. One wrong move, and the motorcycle helmet most likely would have fallen apart. Sometimes she hated being Sailor Uranus. The enemies were always damaging her stuff nowadays. "Look at this!" She grumbled to the air since it was the only thing around to listen. "Now I have to buy a brand new one! These things are expensive!"

She thought about the shiny new helmet she'd seen in the store the other day and suddenly felt better about it. "Maybe I'll just buy a really nice one." She smirked. Sometimes she loved her enemies.

Turning the corner, her smile faded and was replaced with a look of surprise. Before her was a very large crowd of people. News vans were parked all over the street, blocking any way through (it was a good thing she walked). Everyone was screaming.

She dropped the helmet, it rolling to the side, and reached into her coat, thinking perhaps that a battle was at hand, but only after observing the scene more closely did she find that she was incredibly mistaken. This crowd was extremely exultant… and all female for that matter.

"What in the world? Who's in town?" She asked the air again.

As if on cue, a person in a red baseball cap and sunglasses forced their way through the crowd and charged at her. Despite her good reflexes, she was unable to dodge, and the person had only just caught sight of her when they collided and collapsed to the ground.

"OOF!" They cried on contact. He had fallen on top of her, his cap flying off of his head in the process.

"Hey!" Haruka yelled angrily. "You should watch where you're…" She trailed off as he lifted his head, his shades tumbling off of his face. "What! You're SEIYA!"

He tumbled off of her and got to his feet in a flash, bolting down the street like lightning. He was soon followed by the crowd of screaming fan girls and reporters.

"What is he doing back?" Haruka wondered, picking up his hat and glasses. After thinking a moment, she grew angry. "HEY! Come back here and apologize, idiot!"

Her original mission of buying a new helmet was forgotten, just like the one she had left on the side of the road.

-

"E-excuse me, pardon me… MOVE!" Haruka yelled, forcing her way through the mob of love-sick fans. She rolled her eyes at every 'I LOVE YOU' and 'MARRY ME SEIYA'. Idiots.

_Give me a break_, She said to herself.

Seiya's back was thrown up against a closed and most likely locked, black gate, staring over the ocean of reporters asking him millions of questions. Perspiration beaded his forehead as his vision swayed in and out of focus. The reporters' voices vanished from his ears. All he could hear was his rapidly beating heart.

Finally making her way close enough to the front to actually see him, Haruka noticed his dazed look. He wasn't responding to anyone, something very unlike the haughty senshi. She wondered what was going on and if it explained why he had returned to Earth so suddenly and unexpectedly. She needed to interrogate him, but first she'd have to get rid of the crowd… but how?… She knew.

"Hey, everybody! Taiki and Yaten just got off a plane, and they're looking for wives!" She shouted. "I'm totally serious!"

Moments later, the area was cleared, and she was standing alone in front of Seiya.

Seiya slid his back down one of the bars until he was sitting on the ground. His heartbeat faded from his ears, and his hearing was restored. With the back of his wrist he wiped the sweat from his brow, and then sighed in relief.

Haruka's shadow loomed over him as she approached, and he looked up in surprise. "Huh?" He asked stupidly.

"Sailor Starfighter has returned. I'm interested as to why," Haruka said irritably.

"Haruka?" He questioned in bewilderment, staring at her as if she was a being from another galaxy… which was actually kind of true…

She handed him his hat and sunglasses. "I came to get an apology from you, since you fell on top of me like that," She explained in an all but cheerful tone.

"Oh, that was you?" He asked, taking the items from her.

"Yeah," She griped. "You're lucky I brought back your _perfect_ disguise." She spoke about his disguise with blatant sarcasm.

"Y-yeah…" He said sheepishly, turning his face away from hers and rubbing his neck.

"So, what are you doing back for, seriously? I thought you had your frou-frou princess and kingdom to take care of. What are you up to, joyriding around the universe?"

"I came here for Usagi."

"She's not interested in you," Haruka said flatly.

"I know that!" Seiya barked. "I came for her assistance. I was hoping that she could help me… but without Taiki and Yaten being my distractions, I can't get away from my fans to find her."

"I see how deeply you care about your friends," Haruka said dryly, then perked up. "Wait, they're not with you? Where are they?"

"Well, see… that's why I'm here."

"Okay, now I'm even more interested," She said, offering him a hand and helping him up. "Tell me what's going on," She demanded, rather straightforwardly.

"Well… okay…" He wiped his forehead clean once more. "Here it goes. All right…" They started walking through the park together. Seiya idly placed his hat back on his head and replaced his sunglasses. "A few months ago, we arrived home at last. Everything had returned to a normal, peaceful atmosphere, they way it had been before Galaxia. We were all extremely happy, and we often had fancy parties as royals often do. The night before one of her more luxurious parties, she came to us speaking of pain and problems she had been experiencing for awhile. She claimed that she was no longer able to ignore these problems.

"Taiki and Yaten and I escorted her to the physician on our planet, and after a thorough examination, she claimed that her majesty was fine, and Kakyuu seemed to stop worrying."

Haruka stared at him, silent. He went on.

"During the middle of the party, she collapsed. Soon afterward, it was apparent that she was ill, and Taiki, Yaten, and I did all we could to take care of her while the doctor searched for a cure… Soon afterwards, Taiki and Yaten too succumbed to the illness and were bedridden. I decided that the best for me to do was to travel to earth and find Usagi. I know her power can help us. I need her to save our kingdom, for almost all of the people there have fallen ill and will die soon if not saved."

Haruka paused, noting that they had somehow waltzed right out of the park and were now standing in dangerous territory of fan girls (after all they moved fast), and then spoke up. "There's a café…" She pointed across the street at a small restaurant occupied by little to no people. "There's a café over there. If you cut through it, You can get to buns-head's house without being spotted. It will take longer, but you'll get there."

"Oh, wow, really?" Seiya exclaimed, taking his sunglasses off to see it better. His eyes were glittering. "I don't believe it! You must have this town wired or something because you know that!"

"I get around," Haruka said unenthusiastically, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, it totally works if you follow the path. Michiru works there on weekends, so she should be able to get you through the kitchens to the back way."

"Oh, Haruka! You're a lifesaver! Literally! Thank you!" He threw his arms around her and hugged her.

She shoved him off. "Hey, now, lay off! You're welcome. Just don't flirt with her. She has a boyfriend, and it's not you. Besides, Usagi isn't interested in girls."

"You would know," Seiya replied bitterly, stalking off. "Jeez, can't even take a thank you."

"Not from you, jerk," She replied equally as hostile, walking in the opposite direction. "Your sob story is none of my concern so get it taken care of, and get off my planet."

Seiya stuck his tongue out at her and sauntered off, hands in his pockets. Haruka waited until he was out of earshot to turn and look back at him. "I really hope things turn out all right…" She mumbled concernedly.

-

Evening fell. After an hour of haggling and two minutes of threats, Haruka had gotten the helmet she desired at a very good bargain. She carried it under her arm, smiling proudly and feeling pleased with herself. Her mood vanished suddenly when she swore the darkness had shifted.

"Something doesn't feel right…" She muttered, glancing over her shoulders at the few people on the sidewalks and the several cars that packed the road. Nothing was out of the ordinary. "I'm just being paranoid," She growled, shaking her head of the suspicion and fears. "Man, I need to get home."

Just as her body vanished around the corner, two younger girls with oil black skin, clothes and hair peeked around the corner from the alleyway, their snakelike green eyes, the only proof of them being more than mere shadows, glistening maliciously. "I saw her! I saw her!" said one of them in a high-pitched, rather aggravating voice.

"Yeah, I saw her too!" The other one said in a more gruff, but equally annoying voice. "That was her!"

A third person appeared, this time a woman, but still hidden within the shadows, away from sight of people. "Yes… Ten'ou Haruka, Sailor Uranus… If she thinks she'll be able to hide from me, she is gravely mistaken. Dear, dear Haruka… Your heart is fragile but burns brightly like the talisman sword you wield. Your heart will be mine for the taking as long as you keep your first kiss and stay fearful of love…" She and her children of the shadows ducked away into darkness as if they had never been there at all. The last evidence of her existence was the evil chuckle she let out, and it was only a sheer echo upon the walls.

-

By the time Haruka had reached her home, she was seriously regretting not driving to the motorcycle shop. The route was not quite so scenic in the dark, and she'd done enough walking for the day to make her ankles sting underneath her socks and tennis shoes. It had been a long day, and she was so glad to finally be home. She could crawl between her sheets and sleep peacefully without a single worry or care in the world. There would be no concern for that Sailor Starfighter or his/her grating voice…

Haruka unlocked the door and shoved the keys in her pocket, then entered the house as she slipped out of her shoes. She could hear Hotaru playing video games which struck her as odd, considering the child would never even pick up a controller unless Haruka talked her into playing against her. She placed her new helmet on the hall table and padded in her slippers to the living room where she found Michiru and Setsuna sitting on the love seat, watching the racing game on the television with mild interest, and Hotaru with a controller in her hand plopped down next to…

"SEIYA!" Haruka exclaimed, stunned.

"Hey, Haruka, what's up?" He mocked slightly, grinning dumbly over his shoulder while his hands unconsciously continued playing the game. He apparently expected this response and was finding quite a lot of joy in it.

"What are you doing in my house!" She shouted, blushing with fury.

Seiya had returned to playing his game.

"Michiru invited me to stay here for a day or two," Seiya said, leaning forward, eyes focused only on the game.

"I thought you had to go to Usagi's house! Why stay!"

"Turns out that Usagi is off somewhere with her _Mamo-chan_ celebrating an anniversary of their first date or something like that. Damn Mamoru has to ruin everything all the time. I don't know where she is, but her mother claimed that she'd be back in a couple of days, so I have no choice but to wait it out here."

"Haven't you made peace with him yet, Haruka?" Michiru asked, shaking her head at their childishness.

"He's famous! Why doesn't he stay at some random celebrity's house or something?" Haruka argued.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," Seiya said. "I don't want to draw attention to myself, and no one will ever find me here."

"If you didn't want to draw attention to yourself, you should have come here as a girl!" Haruka yelled, stomping up the stairs.

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you," Seiya replied acrimoniously, unaware of her leaving. "Whatever."

"She's really not so bad once you get to know her," Hotaru explained, concentrating more deeply on the game than even her playing partner. Her eyes lit up. "I won!" She exclaimed.

"Eh, this controller's busted," Seiya pouted.

"Things are going to get interesting," Setsuna whispered to Michiru who wholeheartedly agreed.


	2. Chapter 2: Dreams, Baths, and Races

Chapter 2: Dreams, Baths, and Races

The dull buzz of the alarm clock signaled that it was seven o' clock A.M. Haruka's dark eyes opened, shimmering with excitement. Her pale lips spread into a wide smile, revealing white teeth, and she rose up, smacking her alarm to silence it. Today was the day she'd been looking forward to for a week. It was race day. She'd show them all how good she was. She was confident of her win for sure. After this, the semi-finals would be scheduled, then the finals… If she won in the finals… She'd be considered pro!

She was uncharacteristically giddy with excitement, the thought of proving that girls can race just as good, if not better, than boys do.

Fumbling her way out of her bed, she padded across the room in her plaid pajama shorts and black tank top toward the door across from her where her bathroom was. On the way she made a pit stop at her dresser and grabbed out some clean underwear, her racing clothes, and a towel.

She entered the sparkling white bathroom and shut the door behind her. She eyed the other bathroom door, the one that led to the guest room, somewhat suspiciously, but when no movement came from it, she shrugged and set her stuff upon the counter. She slipped out of her pajamas and underwear, turned on the shower as hot as it would go (the only way she'd have it), and hopped inside, pulling the curtain shut behind her.

-

In the guest bedroom, Seiya's body tossed and turned violently in his sleep. He clutched to his pillow for dear life, teeth gritted, eyes squinted shut. Sweat beaded his forehead and dampened his hair. This nightmare…

_"NO!"_ _Sailor Starfighter cried. Everything was tinted red, and she could sense destruction; she could smell it in the air. Usagi, Taiki, Yaten, and Kakyuu were there, but they were quickly vanishing from sight. Starfighter tried desperately to catch up with them, but they just got farther and farther away. A scream behind her forced her to turn around, and she watched in horror as a shadowed figure was blasted in the heart by the hand of another shadowed figure. Starfighter tried to focus her eyes as best as she could, fear freezing her in her spot. Suddenly, a deep blue crystal glimmering with light erupted from the chest of the silhouette. The light almost blinded her. Dark hands reached for it. The darkness consumed it, and it consumed her as well._

Seiya shouted, eyes flying open. He pulled himself into a sitting position, gasping for air. His sweat-dampened hair tumbled over his shoulders. At realization that it was a dream, he calmed down, sighing in relief.

Seiya wiped his forehead clean with his arm and turned so his feet touched the floor on the side of the bed. He started to stand up, but when he did so, his knees buckled, and he crashed to the floor. His vision blurred, and his heartbeat returned to ringing in his ears, this time louder and more rapidly. His breathing became labored as his perspiration soaked the carpet. After a few minutes that felt like hours, it subsided.

He got to his feet, shivering. He leaned against the wall for support and ran a hand through his wet bangs. He felt incredibly weak. His mouth was parched. "I need… water…" He knew he'd feel better once he pumped some liquids into himself. He opened the bathroom door and stumbled inside.

_What was that?_ Haruka wondered, pausing in the middle of washing her hair.

Seiya ran to the sink and turned it on, leaning over it. After staring at the clear liquid for a moment, he scoop up some of it into his hand and slurped it up. It made his stomach churn, but he ignored it.

Curiosity overcame her, and Haruka pushed back the curtain slightly to peek out.

"SEIYA!" She shouted, partly of horror, partly of anger.

Seiya looked up in shock. "Ah… Haruka…"

"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!" She screamed.

He found the strength in him to start running. "I was just getting some water!" He explained.

"Get it downstairs, idiot!" She yelled, throwing a shampoo bottle at him. Seiya managed to slam the door shut before it hit him.

"Oh, man…" He laid down on the floor and sighed. "Wow… can I just crawl back into bed and pretend that embarrassing moment didn't happen?" He chuckled.

His laughing subsided suddenly, replaced with a abrupt gasp for air.

Haruka stood in the shower, using her arms to cover her chest even though he hadn't seen anything. Her cheeks burned with her embarrassment. "That is IT!" She shouted, gritting her teeth. After turning off the faucet, she grabbed her robe off the hanger next to the shower and stomped toward Seiya's bedroom door.

The door swung open and banged against the other side of the wall. Haruka gathered up the collar of Seiya's black t-shirt, lifted him up, and slammed him against the wall. "How DARE you? Haven't you ever heard of knocking? Is it not a custom on your planet?"

He didn't hear a word she said. His heartbeat banged against the walls inside his head. If this wasn't bad enough, this time searing pain was burning through his muscles and veins. His right hand twitched involuntarily. His vision swirled, and the colors became disoriented.

"Do you understand!" She shouted, snapping him out of his stupor.

"Y-Yes," He barely managed to get out, nodding slightly.

"Good," She said, dropping him and returning to the bathroom for her shower. Before shutting the door, she warned. "If I see you sneaking in here again, it'll be your head."

Seiya left his room in search of more water.

-

Seiya poured himself a second glass of a rather large glass of orange juice and downed half of it. He was the only one sitting at the table since everyone else had already eaten. Hotaru was washing the dishes.

He dumped some cereal into a bowl of milk and began munching on it when Haruka entered the kitchen, still looking steamed but not quite as much. She was wearing a blue racing outfit with her new blue helmet under her arm.

"You look lovely this morning," She said sarcastically as she sat down across from him and placed the helmet on the table. She poured her own bowl of cereal.

"Shut up," He replied bitterly. Just because he was still in his red pajama pants and black t-shirt, there was no reason to batter him about it. He shoved a strand of damp, messy hair out of his face.

"I want you to know that from now on, you get up earlier than that. If everyone else in the house can crawl their butts out of bed and get ready, then you can to. I expect to see you out of bed by eight tomorrow and in your day clothes by nine, understood?" She asked, her voice calm.

"Whatever," He responded. "I'm gonna go take a bath." He gulped down the last of the milk in his bowl and dropped his used dishes into the sink. "I'll do your bidding, your majesty." She grumbled and continued to eat.

-

"On your mark… get set…" The announcer's voice rang out over the crowds. A gunshot echoed into the air, and several motorcycles took off around the track.

Seiya had been dragged along by the other outer senshi to see the race, and though he was all but looking forward to it at first, he was actually impressed with the performance. Even so, he still felt a bit uncomfortable around the crowd, even with his red hoody on, hood up, and sunglasses.

"Wow!" He exclaimed, watching Haruka's bike speed by. "She's pretty good… In fact, she's really good!"

"Haruka is the best racer ever," Hotaru said, smiling. "She always wins."

"I believe it," Seiya replied, smiling with excitement. "She's so fast! It's making my adrenaline run just looking at her."

Haruka had taken a large lead in the race, and she even slowed down enough to wave to the crowd as she passed.

Seiya froze as a pulse ran through his body. "I sense an evil presence here…" He mumbled, turning away from the track.

"What was that, Seiya?" Setsuna asked.

"Ah… I said I needed to go to the bathroom. I'll be back!" He waved and zoomed away into the crowd.

He reached the edge of the crowd with little difficulty. His eyes shifted from the left to the right, left to right, and then to the dead center. There was no sign of anyone suspicious. _Okay… Where are you?_ He wondered. A sudden spasm of pain shot through his body the way it had earlier that morning. He felt like he was going to pass out. He could feel himself falling, falling, falling…

"Seiya!"

"Huh?" He snapped out of his trance, taking in a deep breath. He managed to regain his balance and turned to face sweetly-smiling Hotaru. "Oh… Hotaru…" He breathed.

"Seiya! Haruka won! She won just like we knew she would!" She cheered, giddy with excitement.

"O-oh, really?" He asked, trying to look strong though his voice and eyes portrayed weakness. "That's great… We should go congratulate her, ne?"

"Yes, let's go," Hotaru said, tugging his sleeve.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," He told her, taking her hand and letting her pull him in the direction of Haruka. The both passed a woman with long violet hair and dressed in all black. Time froze.

_So, it's you,_ His mind said, his blue eyes glancing in her direction.

_Looks as if you've caught me. The question is if I wanted to be caught or not. What do you think, Sailor Starfighter?_ The woman replied through mind connection.

_What! How did you…_He asked frantically, eyes widening.

Time started again, and Hotaru had dragged him away before he could even attempt to yell at the woman. She had disappeared into the shadows as if she had never been there at all.


	3. Chapter 3: The Appearance of the Enemy

Chapter 3: The Appearance of the Enemy

Haruka's victory on the track was a cause for celebration. Setsuna had suggested that they all go out on the town for fun, for dinner or something, and Michiru had added in that she knew of a wonderful fancy restaurant that she and Haruka had visited once after one of her violin recitals. Setsuna booked a table for them for the very next night.

The evening of the occasion, Seiya lay on his bed, watching the ceiling fan spin slowly, dizzyingly in circles. He sighed as his thoughts drifted to his homeland and his "family" there. He was so worried about them that it was almost maddening. Recently he had begun to feel guilt-ridden since had hadn't so much as bothered to look for a cure. What was he supposed to look for though? He only knew that Sailor Moon's healing powers were his only hope at this time, and she was off someplace somewhere with that aggravating Mamoru, sipping exotic drinks and laying out in a bathing suit or something. Despite the thought of Usagi in a swimsuit, he was still distraught. What if she didn't get back in time? If only he knew where she was… Then he could go and get her…

His thoughts were interrupted by a coughing fit that forced him into the sitting position. He muffled the noise with his hand until he had managed to calm himself and sighed again. His eyes wandered to his alarm clock. "I suppose I should get ready…" He muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow with his wrist.

-

"Come now, Haruka, please wear a dress just this once?" Michiru begged.

"No."

"Please?"

"Why should I? This is supposed to be for me. Shouldn't I get to wear what I want to wear?"

"It'd just be nice if you wore one tonight. It'd be a good change of pace, you know?" Michiru tried.

"I don't want to, Michiru. Why do you still fail to understand that? Jeez, you used to let me do whatever I pleased without complaint or protesting."

"Oh, lighten up," Michiru replied, patting her shoulder.

"You're starting to sound like that oaf, Seiya…" Haruka said unpleasantly.

"Well, what's so wrong with that?" Michiru wondered, smiling radiantly.

"Um… he's an oaf and a jerk? Anyway, I'm wearing a suit. Skirts feel weird around my legs, and I always look bizarre with my shoulders showing. Just quit telling me what to do. You're not my mother, nor my babysitter."

"Fine," Michiru said in exasperation, pulling on her sleeveless pink dress with a rose on her left breast. She put her hair up with dazzling diamond pins and finished the look with pink high-heels and white opera gloves. After a touch of make-up, she was ready to go.

Haruka too was ready, dressed in a white suit. "I'm going to go tell Seiya to hurry up," She said, waltzing out of the room. "You wait downstairs with Setsuna and Hotaru."

"Of course, Haruka," Michiru said. She seemed depressed.

-

"Hey," Haruka called, knocking on the door. "Hey! Let's go, Seiya! Hurry up, would you?"

There was no response. She placed her ear to the door. There was a small amount of noise in there, one she couldn't quite identify, but it was proof that he was indeed there. "Hello!" She shouted, knocking more loudly. Silence. "Oh, that's it," She replied, growing angry. "I'm coming in, and you'd better be decent!"

She threw the door open with ferocity. Inside, she found him sitting with his back against his dresser, his head lolled forward toward his feet. His pants were on, and his shirt as well but it remained unbuttoned. His coat was laying over on the bed.

She started to approach him and could hear him panting and could see his hands twitching ever so slightly.

"What's your problem?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't answer. She walked over to him and knelt down next to him. "Hey, I asked you a question! Are you listening to me?"

Seiya couldn't hear anything besides the pounding in his head. His vision was so distorted that he thought for a moment he was about to go blind. Pain engulfed every inch of his body and a great nausea crept into his stomach. _M…My body… is moving…_He managed to think as his eyes glassed over.

"Hey! Seiya! Yo, snap out of it!" Haruka shouted, concern starting to edge into her voice as she shook him. "Hey! Are you ignoring me! Seiya!" Fear was quickly slipping into her as he didn't respond. She shook him faster and more violently. "SEIYA!" She screamed, panic now rising into her body as she pulled him up and shook him more fiercely. "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

_I…I can't breathe… I can't see…Oh, my God… am I dying! _He thought.

"SEIYA! WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT! STOP IT!" She threw him onto the floor, her own body trembling so badly that she could no longer hang onto him.

All the pain vanished and with it returned his hearing and sight. He blinked his eyes as if coming out of a deep sleep and lifted his head up. Haruka stared at him, breathing heavily, with wet cheeks.

He got to his feet, still feeling somewhat dizzy.

"What is WRONG with you!" Haruka shouted, smacking him.

He involuntarily touched his aching cheek as he turned his head back to face her. "Ha… Haruka…" He stammered. _Why is she here?_ He wondered.

She sniffed, still shuddering. "You… You…" It seemed she was having trouble forming a sentence of what she wanted to say.

"Why are you crying?" He asked in a calm, airy voice that was unlike his own.

"I'm not crying!" She shouted, using the ball of her hand to wipe her tears away. "You're such a jerk! I can't believe you'd do something like that to scare me so bad! Why didn't you respond!"

"I… I don't know…" He mumbled, searching his memory for what happened before the pain had struck him so suddenly.

"I HATE YOU!" Haruka screamed, turning away from him as more tears burned in her eyes. She had been terrified for his safety, and she hated herself for being so.

"I'm… sorry…" He said in a sigh.

Haruka glared at him from over her shoulder then turned away again. Seiya gnawed on his lower lip for a moment, unsure of what to say, then wandered around in front of her. "I am really sorry," He told her, wiping a tear from her eye with his thumb and resting his hand against her cheek.

"Leave me alone…" Haruka whimpered.

He stared deeply into her eyes, feeling her pain and hatred, not for him but for herself, seeping through. He was beginning to feel self-loathing as well for making her hate herself this way… His face inched closer to hers. "I am so… incredibly… sorry…" He whispered.

"Seiya… I… You…" She stammered, starting to blush.

They were mere inches from each other.

"Haruka!" Setsuna called from downstairs. "Is Seiya ready yet?"

Seiya snapped out of his daze and backed away, blushing heavily. He hadn't realized what he'd been doing. "Um… I'll be ready in a minute…" He squeaked.

"Uh… right…" Haruka replied with an already pink face. "Hurry up." She left the room at a brisk walk, not looking at him.

Seiya shook the thoughts from his head and began to button his shirt and then tucked it into his black pants.

-

"Wow!" Seiya marveled as they entered the restaurant. "This place is fancy! Now I understand why we had to dress up!"

"The food here is fantastic," Michiru assured. "This is one of the best places in town, I promise."

"Yeah, I hope so," Hotaru said. She had worn a lavender-colored dress with a white bow on the top. She was clutching to Setsuna's hand; Setsuna's dress was black with one sleeve.

Seiya glanced at Haruka. "By the way… Haruka…" He said, a smirk playing on his lips. Her cheeks burned. What was he up to? Was he going to try and pull another fast one like back in his room? Her heart pounded against her chest. She was nervous, scared even? Why would she be afraid of Seiya? Why was she nervous around Seiya? Why? WHY!

"What!" She asked, a little more loudly than she had intended.

He sniggered. "Nice suit. I thought women were supposed to wear dresses."

Her eyebrows knotted in anger, her fear vanishing. "YOU WOULD KNOW! I'll KILL YOU, YOU JERK!" She shouted.

He howled with laughter, hooking arms with Michiru and waltzing off.

"Oh, I hope you die…" She growled, running up and taking other arm.

"I'm being honest though," Seiya commented, looking at her. "No matter what gender you prefer, shouldn't you hold to the arm of a man?" He grinned devilishly.

"Of course, Seiya! I'll let you know when I find one, _madam_," She replied irately. "Michiru is my date for the evening."

"Well, excuse me, Haruka, but exactly how far have you gone with Kaioh-san here?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Haruka blushed and turned away. "It's not your authority to ask."

"So you haven't even kissed her, right?" Seiya's smirk grew on his face, his eyes dancing with deviousness. Michiru looked at him, surprised at his guile.

"No…" She mumbled, releasing Michiru's arm and briskly marching off toward their table, not turning back to look at any of them.

"Please…" She tugged on his sleeve as he watched Haruka disappear around the corner. "Please, talk to her."

"Huh? Me?" Seiya questioned, "but she's your-"

"Haruka and I… haven't really gotten along since I allowed you to stay with us… I thought that maybe… if you called a truce or something things would be much easier… on all of us."

Seiya stared at her solemn features and sighed. "All right… I'll do it for you, Michiru, but I can't promise she'll be willing to take the other side of the offer. She most likely won't open up to you much more either."

"It's… all right…" She muttered.

"Well, okay then," He said, smiling somewhat unevenly. "I'll talk to her tonight."

Seiya walked her to the table and pulled out the chairs for her, Setsuna, and Hotaru. Haruka was already sitting, and he took his spot as well.

-

Haruka had been silent all throughout dinner. Seiya too had said little, trying to decide on what exactly he should say to the angry girl, how he should come across the subject. After dwelling on it for a few minutes, he came to realize that it was nearly impossible to find a subject to discuss with her that wouldn't make her smack him like earlier… Wait! He seriously needed to discuss with her about earlier that day!

"Ahem… Haruka?" He asked rather promptly as he set down his silverware.

"What?" She snapped, glaring daggers at him from across the table. It had been difficult to think under that gaze.

"Um… I was wondering if I could talk to you in private for a few moments…" He said casually.

"Fine…" She replied in exasperation, as if it was the most aggravating thing.

The two stood and walked to the back where the bathrooms were. Leaning against opposite walls outside of the bathroom, they both stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"So…" Seiya said, unable to bare the silence any longer.

"What do you want, Seiya?" Haruka asked, crossing her arms. She spoke in the same tone as she had when they had left the table.

"I uh… I wanted, first of all, to try and explain myself for earlier… It's kind of vague in my mind… but I'll give it a shot…" He wondered if his cheeks were warm from embarrassment or something else.

"Go on…" Haruka coaxed, sounding interested.

"All right…" He took in a deep breath and let it out. "Lately, I've been having weird dreams… I've therefore gotten less sleep, and I suppose I went into a state of sub-consciousness whilst I was changing clothes. I'm all right, really… I guess I was just a bit delirious… I guess…" He rubbed the back of his neck. His fingers felt icy cold against his warm neckline, making the tiny hairs stand on end with surprise.

"Dream? Tell me about the dream. What's so freaky about it?"

"Uh… don't worry about it!" He laughed, waving his free hand at her. "It's nothing! It's really not important! Now, I wanted to talk with you about a-"

"Seiya, if it's keeping you awake at night, it can't be nothing," Haruka interrupted, trying to cover her concern with a glare.

"Well-" His sentence was cut off as hands emerged from Haruka's shadow on the wall and snatched her. Quickly, a body emerged with long locks of purple hair, dressed in black, and a snake like face with gleaming eyes. One clawed hand was over Haruka's mouth while the other arm was wrapped around her waist.

"Haruka!" Seiya shouted, horrified. Why hadn't he sensed her?

"Give it to me! Give me your most precious possession!" The woman hissed into Haruka's ear as her victim struggled to break free.

Seiya took a step forward, preparing to transform, but pain all too suddenly surged through his body, and he crumpled to the floor. "No… Not now…" He moaned as his hearing faded.

"Seiya!" Haruka shouted in concern after pulling her mouth free from the woman's grasp. She swung her head back and nailed the lady right in the forehead.

The woman scowled and let go of her by impulse. Haruka leapt forward and flung around on the woman, sneering at her. "You're going to pay for that."

The woman was starting to recover.

"Uranus Planet Power, Make-up!" Haruka shouted, holding her transformation stick into the air.

"Ha… Haruka…" Seiya whispered hoarsely. His vision was starting to fade. He fell unconscious.

From the light appeared Sailor Uranus, ready for battle.


	4. Chapter 4: Cold

Chapter 4: Cold

"I demand a name, witch!" Sailor Uranus shouted, jotting a finger at her.

"Shadou," Shadou replied rather bitterly. "I already know your name though, Sailor Uranus. Ten'ou Haruka."

Sailor Uranus was taken aback by this, stumbling slightly. Yes, she'd seen her transform, but she knew her name? "How did you know my name?" She demanded, scowling.

"I know almost everything about you. I needed the perfect description so I could find you and take what I want."

"What you want?" Sailor Uranus asked, bewildered. She silently started forming her sword, but she was too quickly pinned against the wall. The weapon crashed to the floor.

"Give me what I want!" The woman roared.

"But I don't have anything to give you!" She cried, shoving the woman off with a great deal of her power. "WORLD SHAKING!"

Shadou yelped, slamming against the other wall and leaving quite a crater in it.

Two shadow girls wrapped themselves around Uranus's arms, making it impossible for her to move.

"AH!" Sailor Uranus screamed, jerking around to release herself.

Sailor Neptune, Sailor Saturn, and Sailor Pluto arrived, only to find themselves in a predicament.

"We have to stop those monsters!" Saturn exclaimed, referring to the shadow creatures.

"We can't hit them. We'll risk hurting Uranus!" Neptune replied, fear plain on her face.

Seiya's eyes slowly fluttered open as he returned to consciousness. How long had he been out for? What was he doing before? It all seeped back into his mind when he saw the scene before him.

Forgetting about the pain he still felt in his joints, he leapt to his feet and rushed Sailor Uranus. He grabbed each shadow monster, his body pressed up against hers.

"What are you doing?" Uranus squealed, turning red.

He winced in pain and allowed golden light to flow freely from his hands, diminishing the monsters as they oozed back into the walls. He leaned against her, suddenly feeling weak, his hands placed along her wrists. "Okay…" He breathed. "Let's get her."

He let go and flung around. "Fighter Star Power, Make-up!" He shouted. Going through his transformation sequence, he reemerged as Sailor Starfighter.

"Remind me to thank you when I have time," Uranus said, smiling at him, then frowned, remembering how she felt about him… or her. She picked up her sword and glared down at Shadou.

"Let me soften her up for you," Starfighter smirked, grinning devilishly. "Star Serious Laser!" She exclaimed, blasting Shadou with her power.

"I would've been fine on my own," Uranus growled, lifting her blade. "Space Sword Blaster!" Shadou screamed, bleeding into the wall. The wall crumbled quite a bit, but when the light was cleared, there was no sign of the enemy.

"Did you get her?" Starfighter asked, looking around.

"I think so…" Uranus replied, vanishing her weapon. "…but what did she want with me?"

-

Seiya curled up under his covers, shivering. "I'm so cold…" He whispered into the darkness. "Somebody must have left the air on or something…" A sweat had broken on his forehead. His eyes widened as he broke into a coughing fit.

Haruka's eyes flew open from her room as a quiet, muffled noise wafted through her open bathroom door. Seiya's was closed, but he was still distinguishable. At first she tried to ignore it, but finally she grew bored of listening and got up to stop it herself.

When she entered his room through the bathroom, he was coughing but stopped just as she approached the bed. His eyes opened rather weakly as she knelt beside him. "Hello…" He greeted tiredly. "What do you want?"

"I couldn't sleep because you were making so much noise," Haruka replied, not really managing to sound bitter or angry like she usually did.

"Sorry about that…" Seiya shrugged from under his blankets, blinking back sleep.

Haruka looked at him for a moment, then looked around. "You need to get these covers off of you. You're so warm you're sweating."

"No, it's all right…" He grabbed hold of them rather defensively. "I'm fine."

"I'm serious…" Haruka grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him. Gods, he was stubborn!

"I'll try not to make anymore noise," He told her. "Just close your bathroom door or something if it continues…"

"Hey, hold on… you were coughing. Are you sick?" Haruka asked.

"No, no…" He waved his hand at her. "I'm just stressed out, that's all." He rolled over onto his back, and she leaned over him as she stood.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure! Who knows my body better than me?" He smiled at her.

"Sometimes I wonder," She replied, lifting an eyebrow. "You're still pretty sweaty. Did you run laps before bed or something?"

Seiya chuckled half-heartedly. "Go on back to sleep. It's cool."

She pouted slightly, most likely from him dancing around her words and her not getting her way, and left. He waited until he heard the muffled sound of the second door shutting before his smile faded.

"What if I am getting sick?" He asked the air. "I'm kinda lightheaded…" He moaned and pulled the covers up over his nose. "This is the last thing I need right now! Stupid cold and flu season… It is cold and flu season here, right? I can't remember." He started to cough again, but he muffled it to the best of his extent, covering his mouth with his hands. "Actually…" He spoke dreamily as it subsided. "I'm very… light… headed…" His eyes rolled back in his head, and he drifted off to a deep sleep.

-

The buzz of the alarm clock pulled him closer to consciousness. He opened his eyes to find himself hugging to his pillow, his face mostly buried in it. His hair and white t-shirt were soaked from sweat. The alarm clock annoyingly beamed 8:00 A.M. He moaned, hiding his face from the warm sunlight in the room.

After a few seconds of contemplating whether to get up or get pummeled by Haruka, he lifted his head off his pillow and rose to sitting on his knees. His blinked blearily around the room as he stumbled out of bed, shutting off the alarm.

"Yah!" He yelped, falling against the bathroom door as his vision swirled. His heartbeat now accompanied with a loud ring entered his ears, and his body trembled, feeling like he'd been dunked in ice water. His breathing staggered, and in a panic he fumbled for the door knob.

Swinging the door open, he collapsed to the floor, the tile so cold that it burned against the skin on his legs. He regretted wearing his boxers instead of pajama pants as he crawled to the sink and hoisted himself up with every ounce of strength he had.

Turning the sink on, he scooped up handfuls of the water and slurped it quickly. The ringing and heartbeat slowly vanished, and his sight returned to normal.

Seiya looked at himself in the mirror. His face was as pale as the moon, his eyes lined with shadow. His eyeballs themselves were bloodshot, and his face was once again dripping with sweat.

A knock came to the opposite door. "Hey, are you in there, or can I come in? I can use another bathroom. Setsuna and Michiru have already gone off to work, and Hotaru's with Chibi-Usa," Haruka's muffled voice called.

Seiya looked back at himself when a sudden memory struck him.

Dearest Kakyuu… laid out in bed… pale like the moon with blood shot eyes, slipping in and out of consciousness and coughing up…

He took in a deep breath. "Haru-" He started but was interrupted with another coughing fit.

"Hey," She said, knocking on the door again. "You all right?"

He hacked until his cough emerged with a wet sound.

"Hey!" Haruka cried. "You didn't just blow chunks did you?"

His eyes opened, and he saw bright crimson slipping through his fingers. He moved his hands from his face and stared down at the red puddle, glistening like wine, formed in his hand.

"Blood…" He choked, a small trickle of it slipping down his chin. His teeth were stained pink by it.

"Seiya?" She called.

He looked toward the door. If she saw him like this…

"Don't come in! I'm n… not decent!" He lied.

"Fine, but what took you so long? What was that noise?"

"Nothing!" He lied again. "Go away!"

"I'm going! Jeez."

He placed his hands back under the sink, doing all he could to remove the stain from his hands. He wiped his chin and washed his hands again, but when he looked in the mirror, he still didn't see much improvement. He swished water in his mouth, and when he spit it out, it was pink.

His breath caught in his throat, and he forced it down with every inch of his willpower.

He burst back into his room and shed of his sticky, sweat-soaked clothing until he was completely nude. His frozen form trembled as he dug through the drawers for something to wear, finally managing up his only clean outfit, a red t-shirt, black boxer shorts, and a pair of black slacks. He pulled them on in haste, tied his hair back, and staggered out his bedroom door. "Haruka?" He called in a weak, croaky voice.

He could hear the shower down the hall. He cursed and stomped down the stairs. His nausea was subsiding.

"Maybe it's not any big deal," He convinced himself in a state of denial. "Stress can cause you to cough blood. That's what Taiki told me once anyways… I just need to relax…"

He plopped down on the couch and flipped on the television set. His hands were shaking, and he couldn't understand why.

He snagged his red hoody off the arm of the couch and pulled it on, slipping his damp ponytail out from beneath it.

The television was playing some sort of mindless cartoon about robots. He wasn't very interested, in fact, he would have preferred a game of American football, but after the events that had taken place that morning, he just didn't have the strength to change it.

Closing his eyes, Seiya leaned his head back on the arch of the couch and just stayed that way.

"Yo."

Suddenly jolted awake by someone shaking him, he snapped his eyes open and looked around.

Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Idiot," She snapped. "Eat something. It's ten thirty. You're lucky I didn't pummel you."

He got to his feet and followed her into the kitchen that she was apparently cleaning.

"I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep…" He said as he sat down. He couldn't help but be amazed at how weak his voice sounded. "I'm… sorry…"

"Don't be sorry because you're a dip head," She replied, placing a box of cereal on the table. "You can't help it."

"I don't want it."

"Huh?"

"I'm not hungry…"

She stared at him before coming up next to him and putting her hand against his forehead. "Do you have a fever or something?" The heat from his head caught her by surprise. "Ah! Apparently so!"

"Your hands are just cold… that's all…" He responded, not looking at her.

"I had an inkling that you'd gone and gotten yourself sick."

"I don't have time to be sick!" He yelled, finally able to raise his voice. He stood up and swung his arm back for dramatic effect. "I can't be bedridden now! I have to get Usagi and get home before my whole kingdom is vanquished!"

"We can't get Usagi because we don't know where she is! I'm sorry!" Hotaru replied when the phone rang.

She picked it up. "HELLO!" She shouted, more loudly than originally intended.

"Hello, Haruka…" Hotaru said shyly. "I… I thought I should tell you that I know where Usagi-chan is…"

"Wha- REALLY!" Haruka exclaimed. "WHERE!"

"She's over in the mountain area, not far from here. She and Mamoru-san are in a cabin up there. Do you know where I'm talking about?"

She did. "Of course I do! I'll talk to you later!" She hung up. "It's your lucky day."

Seiya stared at her in surprise.

"I know where Usagi is."

His eyes lit up.

(A/N: Don't worry, guys. It's far from over. You're probably still spazzing that I actually updated. :P)


	5. Chapter 5: Seiya's Attack

Chapter 5: Seiya's Attack

Seiya sat in the passenger side of Haruka's car, his leg tapping nervously. He stared out the window at the passing scenery.

"Watching intently isn't going to get us there any faster," Haruka told him, rolling her eyes. "It'll take us two days or so to get there and get up the mountain, so chill out."

He sighed and stared down at his lap. "I can't help it."

In the backseat, a small bag held extra garments of clothing, toothbrushes, money, and anything else they might need on a two day trip.

Seiya hopped his leg idly. "So, how far can we drive up the mountain?"

"We're not allowed to drive up the mountain," Haruka said, concentrating completely on the road. "We have to hike, but it's an easy walk. There's a path, plenty of rest stops, and some cabins for sleeping at night if you don't get up to the top in one day. We of course, won't because by the time we get there, the sun will be setting. It's not smart to walk up a mountain at night, no matter how desperate we are to get there."

"I agree… You know, you're really smart when you're not being mean," Seiya smirked.

"You're really cool when your mouth is shut," Haruka responded, though her bitterness was apathetic.

"Can I turn on the radio?"

"Go ahead?"

Seiya switched on the radio and flipped through a few stations. "Man… The Three Lights' songs are still on the radio… It's been awhile."

"You keep forgetting how horrendously popular you guys were," Haruka commented. "Everyone loved your music."

"Even you?" He asked innocently, looking up at her.

"Ah…" She blushed slightly. "It was okay… I guess…"

Seiya switched off the radio, unable to find good stations, and leaned back in his chair. "Kimi ha itsumo," He sang, barely audible over the engine of the car, "kagayai te ta… Egao hitotsu chiisana hoshi… taisetsu ni shite ta yo… ano hiboku ha mamore nakute, kuyashi namida e ta dake… ita mi ga noku ru yo…"

Haruka had to admit, the boy's voice wasn't half bad… yet, this time, his voice sounded so lonely and depressed… She knew he had to be thinking of his homeland, worrying about his princess and missing his singing partners. _I wonder how I would feel if I was far from all of my friends and they were sick?… I shouldn't have been so mean to him…Sure, we don't get along but…he needs somebody…_ She thought.

"Search for your love," He sang. "Sora no suishou… Search for your love, nakanai de kure… Search for your love… Hontou ha, dakeshimetai no sa…"

Haruka eyed him, wondering if he would continue.

He did. "Kimi no kaori zu tsu to…"

"Sagashiteru…" Haruka sang under her breath along with him. His eyes widened with surprise, but he went on.

"Boku no koe yo todoke."

"Aishiteru."

"Ima doko ni iruno."

"Moonlight princess."

"Boku no… princess…"

Seiya sighed. A smile cracked onto his face. "I appreciate that. I felt really alone there for awhile. I never sing by myself."

"Whatever," Haruka replied, cheeks tinted. "Hotaru sometimes asked me to sing it with her when I drove her to school."

Seiya's smile brightened, his eyes glittering.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing… It's just…"

Haruka stared at him from the corner of her eye.

"I never thought someone as mean as you could be sweet to a little girl!"

"OH, THAT'S IT! I'M PULLING OVER!"

-

By the time the sun had set in the sky, the two had arrived at the mountain. Seiya was snoozing in the passenger seat while Haruka paid for their hike and acquired the keys to the cabin halfway up or so.

When she returned to the car, she found Seiya sitting outside of it, staring up at the pink and orange sky.

"I think it'd be best if we stayed in the car for the night and headed upward in the morning," Haruka suggested.

Seiya shook his head. "It won't do. We have no time to lose."

Haruka sighed. "I'll get the bags."

"You're not gonna argue with me?" Seiya questioned, amazed.

"Too tired… no point," Haruka replied, grabbing the meager supplies. "We're hoofing it from this point on so let's go."

"Right," Seiya nodded, grinning.

-

The sun was slowly dipping in the horizon. Seiya and Haruka continued upward.

"Have you… done this… before?" Seiya panted, lagging behind while Haruka walked without so much as a sweat.

"Yeah," Haruka said, "but that has nothing to do with why I'm good at it."

"Let me guess. You're not pampered like me."

"No, it's because I learned to pace myself when I ran when I was younger."

"…Oh."

"You know, just because we don't get along doesn't mean that I'm out to insult you all the time," Haruka said, turning around and walking backwards so that she could face him. "You're not…" She smiled, "all that bad."

Seiya felt his cheeks burning. "Ah- I think my fever's coming back…" He mumbled sheepishly.

"It's only a few more miles to the cabin. We're making great time. Good suggestion, Seiya."

"I'm beginning to regret it myself…" He moaned, wiping the sweat off his brow with his wrist. He peered down at his feet as he walked, and silence passed between them for a short time.

"Huh?" Seiya remarked, watching as his feet blurred in and out of vision. "Uh…oh…" He muttered, a panic settling in his stomach.

"Yeah," Haruka said, not hearing him. "According to this map, it's only a short distance away."

Seiya listened as his hearing drained except for his heart beat, and his vision discolored. _Now? No… Not now…_He pleaded mentally.

Haruka looked up, realizing her partner had fallen behind. She turned around again and looked back to see him paused on the path, his body tense.

"Uh… coming?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Then the pain came.

Seiya screamed, dropping to his knees. It had never been this bad before. His hands shook against the ground, white as the moon. It was unsettling to not even be able to hear his own shouts of pain though he was aware that he was making them.

"SEIYA!" Haruka cried, running back to him and dropping down on one knee. "Seiya, what's wrong? What happened?"

He moved a trembling hand up to his mouth as his coughing began. Breathing was impossible. He was soaked with sweat.

"SEIYA! Can you hear me? Answer me!" Haruka shouted, shaking him slightly.

He coughed again… and this time, it was wet.

He forced his eyes open as he moved his hand away from his face. There was some sort of dripping stain in his hand that kept changing from purple to green to black in his vision.

Haruka saw it red.

"Blood?" She questioned, horrified. "What's… going on?"

Seiya fell to the ground, darkness engulfing his eyes.

Finally… silence.

-

Seiya awakened again to stare at a dark roof above him. He was laying on a soft bed to his knowledge, and it was now dark. It was completely quiet except for the chirp of crickets and the sound of his own breathing.

He moaned, his head swimming, and tried to move.

"Don't," A stern voice scared him still.

"Wh-what?"

Haruka's face became visible in the darkness as his eyes adjusted to it. She looked worn out, covered with dirt and sweat.

"Haruka?" He asked, not recognizing his own voice. It didn't sound beautiful anymore.

"Seiya… I thought you were going to die, you idiot!" She shouted.

"Something is… wrong with me… but… I don't know how to… fix it…" He muttered, lifting his body up despite her telling him not to.

His brain spun, and he lurched forward, falling against her shoulder for support. She had apparently been sitting on the bed, watching him.

"You're sick…" Haruka said, then sighed. "Really sick."

"Really? I had no idea," Seiya replied sarcastically, though the remark had no bite in it. He didn't have the strength.

They were silent. Neither of them knew what to say or do.

"I…" Seiya shuttered. "I'm so cold…"

Haruka couldn't help but notice the way his voice cracked when he spoke. He sounded as if he could break into tears at any moment.

"It must hurt… very badly…" Haruka whispered, maneuvering so that she laid down and he lie against her.

He made a small, barely noticeable nod. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused."

"How long has this been going on?" Haruka asked, staring at the ceiling. _He fits in my arm the same way Michiru does…or did…_

"I'm not entirely… sure… I guess… it's been since I got here… and it's gotten… progressively worse…" He cringed in pain.

She wrapped her arms around him, tugging the blanket over them with her fingers. "Jerk… first I have to carry you here, and now you're laying on me…" She smiled and chuckled slightly. "You just can't take care of yourself."

He was asleep.


End file.
